Decorating for the holidays can be a bit overwhelming. Still, it is exciting to pull out treasures from years gone by, prompting memories of friends, family members, and events. Opening the tubs of decorations is almost like Christmas itself. I never tire of seeing gems that have been hidden away for a year.
One such memory comes up every year while decorating the “family” tree, which consists of ornaments from my daughter’s childhood and my daddy’s Santa ornaments. My seven-year-old participated in a gift exchange at school. (Needless to say that was more than 40 years ago!) I sent a Barbie doll. She received a small handmade wooden mouse ornament. Every year she tells the story about how she was “robbed” because she really wanted the Barbie. I tried to instill in her the sacrifice of the family who gifted her the ornament. Yet, every year her children roll their eyes at her story. Finally two years ago, I gave her a gift right after she told her story – a “professional” Barbie complete with a briefcase. We all had a good laugh … and last year we didn’t get the story. So much for memories. All that to say, it’s nice to store holiday décor and benefit from it year after year.
For those of you who have followed our blog for quite some time, you may recall I wrote about storing holiday items in the summer of 2024. Well, I couldn’t help myself after reading “Essential Holiday Storage Tips” by Lauren Kim in American Lifestyle Magazine. I felt validated! Her tips mirror my practices and are worth repeating. Following just a few storage guidelines will help preserve your favorite items and make it easier to find next year.
Designate a Location
Having a specific location for all of your holiday décor saves time and frustration. Rather than wondering where a certain item is, you can go to the place where you store all of it. Knowing where you will store items helps you determine the type of container. Mine are in the garage on commercial shelves. At my age, the attic that is access via a pull-down ladder is not practical. (Safety first!)
Consolidate Like Items
Since I have always been a “theme-girl” it is easy to gather the décor for each theme into one tub (or more if you need them). The Santa figurines are in a tub; nutcrackers in another; decorative baking molds in a third; and so on.
Packing the Container
In many cases I kept the original box. This is especially essential for collectibles as having the original box makes the item more valuable when it’s time to sell or donate. For unboxed items, I wrap them carefully in tissue paper. Heavier items go on bottom, lighter and more delicate objects on top. In some cases, an ornament storage container is handy. They are great for more than just ornaments. [I bought a three-tiered one several years ago and use it to store napkin rings.] As I remove the items from its display, I wipe them down assuming they have collected a little dust while out.
Making a List; Checking It Twice
I already have an inventory with a notation of the type of container. But a few years ago I came upon the bright idea (a-hem) of taking a picture of the items in each box when I emptied the box. It was simple – I just unwrapped each piece and placed it on the table. When all items were out, I took a picture. I printed the picture and placed it inside the box. When it was time to put things away, I just looked at the picture and knew what would fit into that tub. So much easier! However, if you are not that ambitious, just keep a list of what you have and where it went. I code my labels. Since tubs are in my garage I figure I won’t make it easy for someone to know which box to steal if they happen to walk by when the door is open (which is not often).
All this sounds like a lot of work. Well, putting away your holiday décor *is* a chore. Yet we enjoy getting it out every year, so putting it away in an organized fashion makes next year’s access quick and painless. You will be able to spend more time enjoying your possessions.
Happy Decorating! I mean Happy Storing!
Silver Sage Sisters 